Method of making activated carbon derived from pitches

Abstract

A method of making activated carbon of various pore size distributions involves an providing oxidized pitch, carbonizing the pitch when the softening point of the pitch is less than about 250° C., and activating the pitch to produce activated carbon. A catalyst metal can be included with the pitch to produce mesoporosity in the activated carbon.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A method of making activated carbon, the method comprising: 
       a) providing an oxidized pitch and adding thereto a catalyst metal in an amount of 2% to about 3%;  
       b) carbonizing the pitch when the softening point of the pitch is less than about 250° C.; and  
       c) activating the pitch to produce activated carbon.  
     
     
       2. A method of claim  1  wherein the pitch is coated onto a monolithic substrate. 
     
     
       3. A method of claim  1  wherein the pitch is combined with binders and shaped into a body. 
     
     
       4. A method of claim  3  wherein the pitch has a softening point of greater than about 40° C. 
     
     
       5. A method of claim  3  wherein the shaping is done by extrusion. 
     
     
       6. A method of claim  3  wherein the pitch is combined with binder and extruded into a honeycomb. 
     
     
       7. A method of making activated carbon supported onto a monolith substrate, the method comprising: 
       a) providing a monolith substrate;  
       b) providing a pitch;  
       c) coating the monolith substrate with the pitch;  
       d) oxidizing the pitch;  
       e) carbonizing the pitch when the softening point of the pitch is less than about 250° C.; and  
       f) activating the pitch to produce activated carbon.  
     
     
       8. A method of claim  7  wherein the pitch has a softening point less than about 40° C. 
     
     
       9. A method of claim  7  wherein the substrate is a honeycomb. 
     
     
       10. A method of making activated carbon, the method comprising: 
       a) providing an oxidized pitch which includes a catalyst metal, wherein the catalyst metal is a rare earth metal organic compound;  
       b) carbonizing the pitch when the softening point of the pitch is less than about 250° C.; and  
       c) activating the pitch to produce activated carbon.  
     
     
       11. A method of clam  10  wherein the catalyst metal is provided as a rare earth metal organic compound selected from the group consisting of yttrium cyclopentadienyl, yttrium acetylacetonate, ytterbium acetylacetonate, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
       12. A method of making activated carbon, the method comprising: 
       a) providing an oxidized pitch, wherein the pitch has a softening point less than about 40° C. and adding thereto a catalyst metal in an amount of 2% to about 3%;  
       b) carbonizing the pitch when the softening point of the pitch is less than about 250° C.; and  
       c) activating the pitch to produce activated carbon.  
     
     
       13. A method of making activated carbon, the method comprising: 
       a) providing an oxidized pitch and adding thereto a catalyst metal in an amount of 2% to about 3%, wherein the catalyst is a compound selected from the group consisting of alkali metal, alkaline earth metal, transition metal, rare earth metal, noble metal, and mixtures thereof;  
       b) carbonizing the pitch when the softening point of the pitch is less than about 250° C.; and  
       c) activating the pitch to produce activated carbon,  
       d) coating the pitch onto a monolithic substrate, wherein the substrate is a honeycomb.  
     
     
       14. A method of claim  13  wherein the catalyst metal is provided as a rare earth metal organic compound selected from the group consisting of yttrium cyclopentadienyl, yttrium acetylacetonate, ytterbium acetylacetonate, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
       15. A method of claim  13  wherein the catalyst metal is selected from the group consisting of cobalt acetylacetonate, nickel acetylacetonate, iron cyclopentadienyl, chloroplatinic acid, platinum acetylacetonate, and mixtures thereof.